SportsGeezerhttp://sportsgeezer.com
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hardThu, 08 Dec 2016 13:40:21 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1Optimistic Women Live Longerhttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/optimistic-women-live-longer/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/optimistic-women-live-longer/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 13:40:21 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7403Feeling good about life and maintaining a positive outlook may add years to your life. That’s the verdict of a new study by researchers at Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health, who analyzed data from 70,000 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study, a long-running study tracking women’s health via surveys every two years from 2004 to 2012. A Chan School news release reports that researchers looked at levels of optimism and other factors that might play a role in how optimism may affect mortality risk, such as race, high blood pressure, diet, and physical activity. And now the numbers: The researchers found that the most optimistic women (the top quartile) had a nearly 30 percent lower risk of dying from any of the diseases analyzed in the study compared with the least optimistic women (the bottom quartile), the study found. that the most optimistic women had a 16 percent lower risk of dying from cancer; 38 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease; 39 percent lower risk of dying from stroke; 38 percent lower risk of dying from respiratory disease; and 52 percent lower risk of dying from infection. Yes, it may also be true that optimistic women take better care of themselves, eating better and exercising more often than women who have a less positive outlook.
]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/optimistic-women-live-longer/feed/0Daily Aspirin Benefits Outweigh Riskshttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/daily-aspirin-benefits-outweigh-risks/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/daily-aspirin-benefits-outweigh-risks/#respondWed, 07 Dec 2016 12:43:52 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7402For decades, health experts have advised us that a daily aspirin can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, but they also warned that too much aspirin can increase the risk of stomach bleeds. What to do? That question has now been answered, although not for the final time, by researchers at Cardiff University, whose extensive study of literature on aspirin revealed that while regular use of the drug increases the risk of stomach bleeds by about a half, there is no valid evidence that any of these bleeds are fatal. A Cardiff news release reports that recent research has also shown that low-doses of aspirin given to patients with cancer, alongside chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, is an effective additional treatment, reducing the deaths of patients with bowel, and possibly other cancers, by a further 15 percent.
]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/daily-aspirin-benefits-outweigh-risks/feed/0Health Researchers Go Nuts For Nutshttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/health-researchers-go-nuts-for-nuts/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/health-researchers-go-nuts-for-nuts/#commentsTue, 06 Dec 2016 12:39:26 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7400A handful of nuts, 20 grams to be more precise, appears to lower the risk of coronary heart disease by nearly 30 percent, cancer by 15 percent, and premature death by 22 percent. That’s the verdict of researchers at Imperial College of London, who analyzed 29 published studies that involved up to 819,000 participants, including more than 12,000 cases of coronary heart disease, 9,000 cases of stroke, 18,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and more than 85,000 deaths. An Imperial College news release reports that despite variations between the populations that were studied, such as between men and women, people living in different regions, or people with different risk factors, the researchers found that nut consumption was associated with a reduction in disease risk across most of them. The researchers say the key to nuts’ health benefits is their nutritional value: Nuts and peanuts are high in fibre, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fats – nutrients that are beneficial for cutting cardiovascular disease risk and which can reduce cholesterol levels. Some nuts, particularly walnuts and pecan nuts, are also high in antioxidants, which can fight oxidative stress and possibly reduce cancer risk. They note that even while nuts are quite high in fat, they are also high in fibre and protein, and there is some evidence that suggests nuts might actually reduce your risk of obesity over time. The study also found that if people consumed on average more than 20g of nuts per day, there was little evidence of further improvement in health outcomes.
]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/health-researchers-go-nuts-for-nuts/feed/2Which Sports Add The Most Years To Your Life?http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/which-sports-add-the-most-years-to-your-life/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/which-sports-add-the-most-years-to-your-life/#respondThu, 01 Dec 2016 14:07:15 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7399Looking for a sport that will keep you alive longer? Try tennis. Or squash. People who play racquet sports, according to researchers at the University of Sydney, have an almost 50 percent lower risk of dying from any cause. And playing a racquet sport was linked to a 56 percent lower risk of death from heart disease during the 15-year-long study period. A U of Sydney news release reports on the study, which included data from 80,000 adults (average age 52) in England and Scotland. And now the numbers:

Compared with study participants who did not participate in the corresponding sport, risk of deathfrom any cause was:

47 per cent lower among those who played racquet sports (tennis, squash, badminton)

28 per cent lower among swimmers

27 per cent lower among those who participated in aerobics

15 per cent lower among cyclists.

Compared with study participants who did not participate in the corresponding sport, risk of deathfrom cardiovascular disease was:

56 per cent lower among those who played racquet sports

41 per cent lower among swimmers

36 per cent lower among those who participated in aerobics.

]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/which-sports-add-the-most-years-to-your-life/feed/0Sweat Patch Monitors Body During Exercisehttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/sweat-patch-monitors-body-during-exercise/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/sweat-patch-monitors-body-during-exercise/#respondTue, 29 Nov 2016 14:01:46 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7398No, you can’t buy one yet, but a very cool flexible microfluidic device that sticks to your forearm may be the be model for the next generation of fitness bands. A Northwestern University news release reports that researchers at the school have designed an inexpensive, quarter-size patch to analyze key biomarkers to help a person decide quickly if the user needs to drink more water, replenish electrolytes, or even seek medical help. Researchers tested the device on two groups of athletes: one cycling indoors in a fitness center under controlled conditions and the other participating in the El Tour de Tucson, a long-distance bicycle race in arid and complex conditions. During moderate or vigorous exercise, sweat winds through the tiny microscopic channels of the device and into four different small, circular compartments, where reactions with chemical reagents cause color changes that relate to pH and concentrations of glucose, chloride, and lactate. And when a smartphone gets close to the device, the wireless electronics trigger an app that captures a photo of the device and analyzes the image to yield data on the biomarker concentrations. In the group that cycled indoors, the researchers compared the new device’s biomarker readouts to conventional laboratory analysis of the same sweat and found the two sets of results agreed with each other. With the long-distance cyclists, the researchers tested the durability of the device in the complex and unpredictable conditions of the desert. They found the devices stayed adhered to the athletes’ skin, did not leak, and provided the kind of quality information the researchers sought. It’s a win, win.
]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/sweat-patch-monitors-body-during-exercise/feed/0Ski Safety Tips From The People Who Own the Mountainhttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/ski-safety-tips-from-the-people-who-own-the-mountain/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/ski-safety-tips-from-the-people-who-own-the-mountain/#respondMon, 28 Nov 2016 13:35:13 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7395That National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) would very much like to ski safely this winter, so that you can come back and ski safely next winter. Toward that end, they offer these safety tips:

Have the right equipment. Get ski or snowboard bindings properly adjusted at a ski shop. Good equipment can also be rented at resorts.

Wear the right clothes. Choose garments made with high-quality water- and wind-resistant fabric. Look for design features to keep cold air out, including fabric flaps over zippers, fitted cuffs at wrists and ankles, collars that can be cinched up to the chin and adjustable drawstrings.

Dress in layers. Wearing multiple layers allows you to add or remove items if you are too cold or too hot. Choose a bottom layer that dries quickly and absorbs sweat to stay warm. Wear a turtleneck, sweater and jacket on top.

Expect fickle weather. Carry a hat or headband. Wear gloves or mittens. Be aware of changing conditions. Skiers and snowboarders may speed up on hard or icy slopes.

Use sunscreen. The sun reflects off the snow. It’s important to protect your skin from harmful UV rays — even on cloudy days.

Protect your eyes. Use sunglasses or goggles so you can see potential hazards.

Take a class. Qualified instructors can help you perfect your technique and become a more controlled skier or snowboarder.

Stay focused. It’s important to stay in control mentally as well as physically on the slopes.

Play it safe. If you end up on a trail that is beyond your ability, remove your skis or snowboard and sidestep down the slope.

]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/ski-safety-tips-from-the-people-who-own-the-mountain/feed/0Can Yogurt Keep You Calm?http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/can-yogurt-keep-you-calm/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/can-yogurt-keep-you-calm/#respondWed, 23 Nov 2016 13:58:21 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7394Can the probiotics in yogurt really help to relieve stress? Researchers at the University of Missouri think that may be case, although their suspicion is based on experiments with zebra fish, not people. A U of Missouri news release reports that the researchers tested how zebrafish behaved after doses of Lactobacillus plantarum, a common bacteria found in yogurt and probiotic supplements. In the first study, scientists added the bacteria to some tanks housing zebrafish, while other tanks of zebrafish received no probiotics. The researchers then introduced environmental stressors to both groups, such as draining small amounts of water from the tank and overcrowding. By analyzing the gene pathways of both groups of fish, the research team found that zebrafish that were given the supplements showed a reduction in the metabolic pathways associated with stress. Wait, there’s more. The researchers also measured the movements of fish in their tanks using sophisticated computer measuring and imaging tools. Previous studies of fish behavior have found that fish that are stressed tend to spend more time at the bottom of their tanks. Once the fish were administered probiotics, they tended to spend more time toward the top of the tanks — suggesting that they were less stressed or less anxious.

]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/can-yogurt-keep-you-calm/feed/0Feed Your Gut Bacteria Fiber Before It Feeds On Youhttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/feed-your-gut-bacteria-fiber-before-it-feeds-on-you/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/feed-your-gut-bacteria-fiber-before-it-feeds-on-you/#respondMon, 21 Nov 2016 17:44:03 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7393Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered something unsettling about our gut bacteria: if not properly fed, it can begin to dine on our colons. Yes, our colons. A U of Michigan news release reports that researchers at the school transplanted 14 bacteria that normally grow in the human gut into mice born and raised with no gut microbes of their own. They also infected some of the mice with a bacterial strain that does to mice what certain strains of Escherichia coli can do to humans – cause gut infections that lead to irritation, inflammation, diarrhea and more. Here’s what they found: the natural protective mucus layer stayed thick, and the infection didn’t take full hold, in mice that received a diet that was about 15 percent fiber from minimally processed grains and plants. But when the researchers substituted a diet with no fiber in it, even for a few days, some of the microbes in their guts began to munch on the mucus. They also tried a diet that was rich in prebiotic fiber – purified forms of soluble fiber similar to what some processed foods and supplements currently contain. Nope. The diet resulted in a similar erosion of the mucus layer as observed in the lack of fiber. The researchers saw that the mix of bacteria changed depending on what the mice were being fed, even day by day. Some species of bacteria in the transplanted microbiome were more common – meaning they had reproduced more – in low-fiber conditions, others in high-fiber conditions. Most concerning: the four bacteria strains that flourished most in low-fiber and no-fiber conditions were the only ones that make enzymes that are capable of breaking down the long molecules called glycoproteins that make up the mucus layer. The bottom line: eat fiber before your gut bacteria eats you.

]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/feed-your-gut-bacteria-fiber-before-it-feeds-on-you/feed/0Alcohol Ups Prostate Cancer Riskhttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/alcohol-ups-prostate-cancer-risk/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/alcohol-ups-prostate-cancer-risk/#respondThu, 17 Nov 2016 13:00:13 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7391It’s not news that alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer, as well as a few cancers of the digestive system, but now comes research from the University of Victoria suggesting a significant relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of prostate cancer. A U of Victoria news release reports that when the research team looked at 27 studies that attempted to measure the risk at different levels of consumption, they found a statistically significant dose-response relationship between amount of alcohol consumed and risk of prostate cancer among current drinkers. In other words, the more you drink, the greater your risk of prostate cancer. The researchers found that even at low-volume drinking (up to two drinks per day), men had an eight per cent greater risk of prostate cancer compared to lifetime abstainers. But when the researchers examined only those six studies that were originally free of abstainer bias, the risk for low volume drinkers rose to 23 per cent.
]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/alcohol-ups-prostate-cancer-risk/feed/0Marijuana May Be Bad For Your Hearthttp://sportsgeezer.com/2016/marijuana-may-be-bad-for-your-heart/
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/marijuana-may-be-bad-for-your-heart/#commentsMon, 14 Nov 2016 12:57:29 +0000http://sportsgeezer.com/?p=7389Many marijuana users think the drug is good for their head, but researchers at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania suspect that it could be bad for their hearts. Science Daily reports on a study of 33,343 people who were hospitalized with stress cardiomyopathy between 2003-2011 in the United States. Of those, 210 (less than one percent) were also identified as marijuana users, who, compared with non-users, were more likely to be younger, male with fewer cardiovascular risk factors, including less high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Yet despite being younger and with fewer cardiovascular risk factors than non-users, during stress cardiomyopathy the marijuana users were significantly more likely to go into cardiac arrest (2.4 percent vs. 0.8 percent) and to require an implanted defibrillator to detect and correct dangerously abnormal heart rhythms (2.4 percent vs. 0.6 percent). Marijuana users were also more likely than non-users to have a history of depression (32.9 percent vs. 14.5 percent), psychosis (11.9 percent vs. 3.8 percent), anxiety disorder (28.4 percent vs. 16.2 percent), alcoholism (13.3 percent vs. 2.8 percent), tobacco use (73.3 percent vs. 28.6 percent) and multiple substance abuse (11.4 percent vs. 0.3 percent).
]]>http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/marijuana-may-be-bad-for-your-heart/feed/3